The G-20 in London is like sorority rush week

People blame the media for all the doom and gloom, and now finally, the media is giving you a break in the form of G-20 coverage. The pictures I've been seeing of world leaders meeting in London -- hugging each other, cheesing for the cameras, laughing like crazy at each others jokes -- makes the economic summit seem more like the first week of college than a critical meeting of the world's 20 leading economies.

I'm about to give up journalism and become a world leader if this is how much fun they have. Then I remember...oh wait. These are the people charged with stopping the double-asteroid--global financial crisis and global warming--from rendering our planet unrecognizable. That's a tough job, so I appreciate that these suits need a little face time to blow off steam and tension, especially among each other.

Why, just last week Brazilian President Lula da Silva blamed white people for the financial meltdown. Water under the bridge once Mr. Lula da Silva got to London. Watch this video of Obama trying to charm the socks off the Brazilian president. Obama lays it on thick, calling him the most popular politician on earth "because of the good looks." England's Prime Minister Gordon Brown returned the favor: continuously chuckling and smiling hard at Obama's tired jokes at a press conference. The man did look sincerely giddy in the photos and as described by a witness. But like any sorority function, there is drama and the G-20 has its share -- guess who broke up a fight?

The stunningly chic president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, who's leading the charge on desperately needed sweeping reforms of the financial system, got into a heated discussion with China's President Hu Jintao about tax havens. Obama, in typical Mr. Cool fashion, broke up the arguing presidents and took the emotionally worked-up Sarkozy to the corner for some tete-a-tete, calming him down. He then did the same for President Hu and pretty soon they had a compromise, hand shaking and smiles all around.